I returned to the village, where the chief was waiting for me. He was very inquisitive to know what ship it was, who was master, what he was after, etc. We immediately got under way for Bratter, which was six or eight miles distant. On our passage we stopped at a small island, uninhabited, to shoot some birds, which were very plentiful around the shore. The natives told me that this island belonged to the Spirits and if I shot the birds they would be angry and cause some accident to befall us. I, however, paid no regard to their superstitious fears, but shot as many as I wanted. In getting under way again the sail caught so that in hoisting it they tore a large hole. This they regarded as punishment for shooting the Great Spirit's birds. We repaired the sail and steered for Bratter. We soon arrived at the entrance of a small crooked river, took in our sail and poled the canoe up to the town. Here I was detained about a week by bad weather. During this time I visited the Clay, which had got under way from Ovalau and anchored near this place. I spent an evening on board the Clay and returned to Bratter, taking with me a man who had been cast away near the island in a Sydney whaler. Having collected a hundred hogs and the weather being somewhat better, we started with our hogs in eight canoes. After getting out, the weather grew so bad we landed at Ingram, had a hog baked under ground, and with yams and tarrow we lived well for one day. The weather continued boisterous for two days. It then moderated and we made sail for the ship, which was about fifty miles from us. After running about half our distance the wind blew so strong we struck our big mast and sail and set the small one. The wind still increased until it became so rugged that it was with difficulty that our canoes could be kept free of water. We continued on some time in this way, until the natives were quite exhausted with bailing. Fearing they would give out and our canoe being old and leaky and heavily loaded, I persuaded the chief to throw the big mast and yard overboard, and told him if that was not sufficient we must heave some hogs over, as the canoe was now half full of water, which was all the time gaining, the other canoes nearly out of sight, and the nearest land twenty miles off. After throwing overboard the mast and yard we managed to get the water out and were enabled to keep her free.